The Pittsburgh Steelers are on the road to finding a new reliable head coach after their 19-year-long journey with Mike Tomlin ended. The team has been exploring several options, and it seems like not all of them are likely to receive confirmation from analysts and former pros. One such admission came just hours after the team completed its in-person interview with the Minnesota Vikings‘ defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Despite no confirmation on his hiring yet, former QB Ben Roethlisberger gave one reason for the Steelers not to bet on him.

“I love Brian Flores. I think he’d be great,” Roethlisberger said, in a recent conversation on Channel Seven’s talk show. “The only downside I see is he’s a defensive-minded guy, and it’s just you heard me say I want offense… My concern with bringing in a young hotshot offensive coordinator is he’s going to probably be gone in a couple years. So now you’re looking for another coordinator, and you’re you’re constantly rotating coordinators. I would I would love to get someone again, you get a head coach, offensive coordinator, minded guy, an Andy Reid type, Sean McVay type, the Ben Johnson.”

Last week, Roethlisberger stressed the same concern, saying, “Let’s bring a head coach in that’s offensive-minded and allow him to then bring in a defensive coordinator. The best offensive-minded head coaches that call plays, you know what they do on defense? They’re sitting on the bench, talking to their quarterback, while their defense is on the field, because they’re like, ‘You got that. I trust my defensive coordinator to take care of this.'”

With the team already having a strong defense, fixing the offense should be a priority. Hence, hiring a head coach with a specialty in offense could begin to fix this issue, per Roethlisberger. The Steelers finished the season with 10-7, after their offense posted inconsistent results this year. They gained about 6,068 total yards (1922 rushing, 4437 passing) and averaged 5.3 yards per play, ranking 25th in total offense.

Their QB, Aaron Rodgers, was also inconsistent and performed late turnovers with limited passing efficiency. Their most concerning offensive game came in a 35–25 loss to the Green Bay Packers. They could score only 3 points throughout the entire game. QB Aaron Rodgers completed just 51.6% of his passes, his worst mark in 5 seasons. The Steelers wasted 6 turnovers forced by the defense.

Above all, it has been almost 9 years since the Steelers moved past the opening week of the playoffs (last divisional win against the Chiefs in 2017). The need of the hour clearly demands a better approach towards offense, maybe a 2017 like Mike Tomlin. The team ranked inside the NFL’s top-10 in yards and points multiple seasons from 2014 – 2018 (including 2nd in yards in 2014 and 3rd in 2015) by letting playmakers like Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, and Antonio Brown thrive. As the graph continues to sink, an offensive mindset could surely be of great help for the team.

Brian Flores, on the other hand, interviewed with the Steelers as he is working to earn another chance as an NFL head coach. He last held that role with the Miami Dolphins from 2019 to 2021, but the exit was messy (followed by a lawsuit against the league). A job with the Steelers helped restart his career, and he continued to rebuild his reputation in Minnesota. Flores helped turn the unit into one of the league’s best after they struggled badly on defense. He also spent enough time with the Patriots, winning four Super Bowls while rising through the coaching ranks. He has also interviewed with Baltimore.

The statement from Roethlisberger turned out to be the answer for many questions, as it came after the Steelers made a meaningful development in their coach hunt.

Former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy emerges as a strong candidate for the Steelers

Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy has quickly emerged as a serious candidate for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coaching vacancy. Renowned insiders Adam Schefter and Tom Pelissero reported that McCarthy is scheduled to interview with the Steelers on January 21. The deal appears to be a potential one as sources suggest that McCarthy has narrowed his focus to Pittsburgh after withdrawing from consideration for the Tennessee Titans’ job and declining interest from other teams.

McCarthy is a city native and started his coaching journey at the University of Pittsburgh. He first served as a graduate assistant and wide receivers coach. His most notable coaching success came with the Green Bay Packers, leading the franchise to a Super Bowl XLV victory against the Steelers (during the 2010 season).

Another reason for his chances being high is a potential reunion with Aaron Rodgers. The veteran QB played the majority of his career under McCarthy in Green Bay. However, he is currently a free agent and has hinted that retirement may be near. Following a playoff loss to the Houston Texans, Rodgers publicly backed Mike Tomlin. Now that the former coach is gone, it remains to be seen who Rodgers will welcome this time.

Top Stories

Fired Sean McDermott Doesn’t Hold Back in Final Message to Bills Mafia As Locker Room ‘Sickened’ by HC’s Removal

Andy Reid Confirms Double Hiring Decision After Chiefs Fire Offensive Coach

Mac Jones Issues Statement on Leaving 49ers Amid Backup QB’s Ongoing Trade Rumors

Prayer Pours In From Gisele Bündchen as Tom Brady’s Ex-Wife Mourns Tragic Personal Loss

Sean McDermott Turned Bills Into the “Kremlin” as Bills Reporter Reveals Fired HC’s ‘Outrageous’ Actions